Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Every Mountain’s Worth the Climb

“God doesn’t give you a mountain
to climb without providing a summit to enjoy the view.”

— Ron Wilbur

There are many in life that blame
God for their circumstances, not recognising their personal responsibility or
the responsibilities of the people they care about in adjusting to situations
that occur throughout the world every day. We cannot explain the suffering that
occurs in our world, other than to know that it is a broken world we are part
of. But there is always a response we can make in making life better.

Indeed, God has decreed, from even
before time began, that where we respond in faith that he can make good out of
any circumstance.

From the base of each mountain
that represents the challenge before us we have a choice. Do we become
depressed or angry about the mountain, or do we see it as a unique opportunity
to grow through the
challenge? That is, to risk enough to see life from a vantage point where the
sweeping views of God are serene.

The views from the summit are
obviously spectacular.

But we must initiate the journey.
And we need to continue the climb.

All That Is in Leaving Behind &
Forging Ahead

If truth would be told, we may
have two fears in taking the journey, as we consider it from base camp in the arduous
valley.

The first fear is leaving behind
what we may not feel we can let go of. We shudder at the thought and may feel
guilty. We may know in part of ourselves that letting go is the only way. Yet,
the tensions exist; it is easier to hold on than let go.

We cannot take the initial steps
toward the mountain, and embark upon the incline, unless we let go and continue
to let go. It doesn’t mean forgetting or betraying sweet memories; it is simply
about opening up to new life again.

The second fear is just as
gripping. We worry about forging ahead and what challenges lie in front of us;
there is a fear of failure.

These are reasonable fears that
everyone experiences. The truth is, as we step forth with God on an unknown
journey, God provides the exact resources we need, equipping us just in time.
And what is the cost of failing when we are trying?

Failure simply makes us stronger
and more tenacious about reaching the summit.

***

Life is hard in that it provides
mountain challenges for us to ascend. When we refuse to climb life gets worse.
But when we make the climb, confronting our fears, we find God equips us with
exactly what we need. God is faithful; the view is worth the climb.